Tag Archives: Nikon

Photographer’s Choice – Karin Kalmus

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Common House Plant That Rarely Blooms

Karin Kalmus - Blooming Jade Plant

Karin Kalmus – Blooming Jade Plant

Karin has submitted this photo as a “Photographer’s Choice”, noting particularly, “The carpels and stamens are absolutely clear. A botanist friend at ECU was amazed to see this photo of a blooming Jade and noted how sharp the detail was. These Jade plants rarely bloom but one of mine has bloomed from December to February every year since we brought it back from California (>20 years old). It never bloomed in California.” Karin used a tripod to obtain the clarity from her Nikon Coolpix S8100, using soft, natural light to bring out the detail without any harsh shadows or blown highlights. The framing, with the blooms off center, adds to the appeal. The rich, deep green background makes the blossoms truly pop.
This image can be used also to point out the importance of post processing and the improvements possible. The image below is as it came from the camera, somewhat flat, slightly underexposed, but more importantly, with a strong blue/green color cast. It only required a couple of adjustments to bring out the full potential of the image.
Karin Kalmus - Unadjusted jpeg

Karin Kalmus – Unadjusted jpeg

Member Favorites From “Still Life” Assignment

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A “Still Life” gives the artist perhaps more freedom to convey a specific message in a visual presentation than other categories such as portraiture or landscape. Every element of the work is under the direct control of the artist, from the objects chosen, to the arrangement of the objects, to the lighting and background. There’s no rush to catch the perfect time of day or a fleeting light or changing weather. Elements can be removed or added over an extended time until the artist is satisfied with his arrangement. Or, in the case of photography, multiple shots from a different perspective or different light sources can be attempted, until a finished work reflects the artistic intent. The ACC members who participated in this assignment took advantage of this freedom and produced some excellent results, making the voting a very difficult choice to determine the member’s favorite.
The overall favorite below was created by Kim Hadley, a very simple but powerful composition of times past with a pocketwatch and pair of glasses, all set in a warm environment of soft light and a muted, wqrm sepia color. The handwriten paper makes an ideal background. The shallow depth of field is perfect.

Times Past - Kim Hadley - Member Favorite

Times Past – Kim Hadley – Member Favorite


The second place winner goes to Sandy Pinto for an autumn themed look at an artistic and colorful arrangment of objects typically associated with that lovely time of year. Set in a weather beaten and peeling chair and in a somewhat muted light, the feeling of the end of summer, the coming winter cold and the passage of another year is conveyed to the viewer
Sandy Pinto - Fall Scene - Voted 2nd Favorite

Sandy Pinto – Fall Scene – Voted 2nd Favorite


Only one vote behind Sandy is this work by Martin Seelig successfully portraying his love for film photography using vintage cameras. It’s obvious that he selected the various pieces carefully and arranged them exactly as he wished. He included not only the Ciro-flex twin reflex camera but all the items that would come with the purchase. The addition of the lightmeter completes the story. It’s only natural that he would choose b&w for his presentation.
Martin Seelig - 3rd Place Favorite - CiroFlex Still Life

Martin Seelig – 3rd Place Favorite – CiroFlex Still Life